1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical instrumentation, and more particularly, to instrumentation for use in spinal surgery and other surgery.
2. Background Information
Various medical instruments and appliances are used in the treatment of spinal column deformities and injuries. In certain medical circumstances, it is necessary to place a mechanical device, such as a stabilization rod, adjacent to the spine. This is to promote the natural healing of the spine in a straight spatial disposition, or to enhance straightening of the spine in cases of disease such as scoliosis. In some surgical procedures, chips of bone which have been removed from another portion of the body, such as the hip, are placed in proximity to the healing spinal site. These chips act as mortar to promote bone fusion.
The spinal rods are placed along the spinal column and various fixation appliances are mounted along the rods to maintain the rods in the desired position and orientation. Implants are pushed up and down the rods such as hooks. Rod holders may be used as a stop. While a surgeon is mounting the rods, rod hooks and various other components, the surgeon pushes items along the rod and may either distract bone by pulling it away from the work site or must compress bone to pull it together if broken, for example. A standard distracter/compressor is used to accomplish these and many other actions during spinal surgery.
Pressure is thus applied from some distance in order to move implants along a rod or to distract or compress a rod in place or to distract bone or implants into the most favorable position. The positioning is important in order to fix the correct position of the rods and the implants while providing the surgeon the best visualization of the work site.
Prior instruments required the surgeon or a member of the surgical team to hold a distracter directly at the desired angle, however, the distracter instrument itself may, in such a case obstruct the surgeon's view of the work site. It has been known to provide an instrument with a bend in it, to allow a better view, but the bend may not allow the most leverage when a good deal of force is required. Detachable tips have also been used, which detachable tips are placed on the end of a standard distracter allowing distraction or compression at a particular angle which allows the instrument to be rotated out of the surgeon's view yet still applying pressure at the correct position on the rod or bone. Ratcheted tips have also been described as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,218, which issued on Apr. 6, 2004, for an INSTRUMENT FOR BONE DISTRACTION AND COMPRESSION HAVING RATCHETING TIPS, which is incorporated by reference herein. However, there are certain instances in which a different angle is required by the surgeon for a particular surgical procedure.